The immemorial cosmogonies that have come down to us all say that the origin of life is linked to water. Contemporary science confirms this. And yet, the mysteries of water cannot be exhausted. We now know that it has been omnipresent in the Universe since its very origins and that it played a decisive role in the formation of stars and galaxies. Outside our planet, the molecule has only been formally identified in its solid or gaseous states. This makes its presence in liquid form on Earth all the more remarkable. Our planet’s unique conditions allow water to trickle down. It is in its liquid form that it has been, and will continue to be, the primordial home of all life.

  
Every organism on Earth, from the simplest to the most complex, is “a creature of thirst”. Its unique properties, including capillarity, dissolving power, and permanent trickling make it, according to Gaston Bachelard calls it “the eye of the Earth” or “the organ of the world”. To the rhythm of its cycles, it passes from one state to another, crosses materials, connects elements, ravines mountains, draws plains, drains minerals, elevates plants, vitalizes animals, composes the climate, cooling the atmosphere and capturing carbon. Every drop of freshwater brings life to life, whether it comes from groundwater, wetlands, or surface water. Marshes, mangroves, ponds, lakes, springs, rivers and streams all play their part in biological existence.

  
Yet freshwater represents only a few hundredths of the water on Earth. In temperate zones, we live in the illusion of its abundance; in arid zones, we live in the knowledge of its scarcity. Water can only be shared. Anthropogenic pressure on water cycles, linked to intensive agriculture, industrial activity, urbanization, energy production and the production of most of our consumer goods, is seriously disrupting the balance. Extreme droughts and major floods, as well as chemical and plastic pollution, are the most visible indicators.

  
Our thirst for growth is compromising the only source capable of quenching our thirst. Aux pollutions In addition, inequalities of access – over a quarter of humanity is still deprived of drinking water – engender increasingly extreme conflicts. Thinking about a freshwater policy can only be done on a planetary scale, with a shared vision of its uses, and with a concern to repair and protect all the places where water is found: the aquifers and glaciers that store it, the wetlands that capture carbon, the mangroves that slow erosion, the rivers that drain life… More than a common good, a fundamental right of all living beings, today we need to consider it as a subject endowed with rights.

  
How can we envisage an ecology and politics of water without a poetics of water? Protecting water also means regenerating the imaginaries, narratives, representations and practices that condition the way it is shared and used in our lives and actions.

  
**The COAL Prize 2025 dedicated to freshwater is a call to fight against the drying up of our sensitivities towards it, to elevate it to its rightful place at the heart of general attention, to rehabilitate it in its symbolic and sacred prerogatives, to consider it as the ally and partner of our existences. It’s also a call to protect it, to play our part in restoring its natural cycles, to repair places that have been damaged, in solidarity with those, human and non-human, who are irreparably affected.**

– The winning artist of the COAL Prize receives an endowment of 12,000 euros and a creative residency at the heart of the Domaine de Belval, owned by the François Sommer Foundation, led by the scientific and educational teams of the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature and the Domaine de Belval.

  
– The winning artist of the Jury’s Special Prize receives a prize of 3,000 euros.

  
– The winning artist of the Ateliers Médicis receives a residency in Clichy-sous-Bois/Montfermeil, in association with the Bondy regional forest.

  
– The winning artist of the mention Centre Wallonie-Bruxelles/Paris aka Le vaisseau will receive 2,000 euros and be invited to exhibit at the Paris institution.

CALL FOR PROJECTS COAL PRIZE 2025: Freshwater

Brittany is one of the richest regions in the visual arts sector. Its large pool of artists is supported by a network of highly engaged professionals across the country. While there are plenty of opportunities for artists to produce, exhibit, or be collected, professionally developing their work internationally remains a very difficult step to take.

  
The Frac Bretagne and Art Norac have long been involved, through different and complementary histories, in the construction of an artistic landscape in Brittany, with the constant attention to bringing what our region contains in terms of talent and initiatives in resonance with what is happening elsewhere, at the national and international levels.

  
In 2020, they decided to join forces to support artists by creating the Prix du Frac Bretagne – Art Norac. The aim of this award is to support creators from the regional art scene in pursuing international experience, thereby fostering the professionalization of their careers beyond our borders.

  
Each year, a partner structure in Europe or around the world, ready to welcome the winning artist to produce a personal exhibition, is associated with the program. For this fifth edition, the international partner venue is the Röda Sten Konsthall in Gothenburg, Sweden.

**For the 4 Finalists:**

* **Exhibition** at Frac Bretagne, Rennes.
* **Financial Support**:
* Artist fees (conception, presentation, reproduction).
* Transport of artworks (France ⇄ Frac Bretagne).
* Travel expenses within France.
* Curatorial guidance.
* Critical text by an art critic.
* One-year access to "Artist for Ever" training platform.

  
**For the Winner (Lauréate):**

* **Solo Exhibition** at Röda Sten Konsthall, Sweden (2026).
* **Financial Package** (€3,460 total):
* €2,200 for exhibition conception.
* €1,200 for public presentation rights.
* €60 for reproduction rights.
* Up to **€3,000** for production costs.
* Round-trip travel.
* Living allowance and accommodation during setup.

  
**For the 3 Non-Winning Finalists:**

* **Corporate Residency** at Norac Foods (2026).
* **Grant (€1,500)** for project development, workshops, and final presentation.
* Material costs covered.
* Travel, meals, and lodging if needed.

  
This prize ensures professional exposure, financial support, and career development opportunities.

The Frac Bretagne – Art Norac Prize

Your best shot. On display. 

  
Experienced photographer or casual snap-shooter - everybody has a unique creative vision and the ability to create remarkable images. What does your best shot bring to the table?

  
Anyone 18+ can apply with one image per entry. Any theme, medium and subject are welcome. We accept pure lens-based, mobile or smartphone camera, AI, film, digital, and analogue photography. 

  
50 selected photographers will be part of the major BBA Prizes 10 Year Anniversary exhibition at Kühlhaus Berlin. The winner of the One Shot Award will receive a cash prize of 300€ and online promotion.

  
Deadline: 21st April 2025

  
Enter now: https://bba-prizes.com/one-shot-award 

BBA One Shot Award 2025

Call for entries for the 6th Henriettenglück Art Prize 2025

  
On the occasion of the opening exhibition of the Atelierhaus Recklinghausen in the former Königschule in the König Ludwig district, the art prize 'Henriettenglück' was launched in 2014, which is committed to the history of the Ruhr region.

  
The title of the art prize refers to the original name of the local mine. It was originally called "Henriette's Happiness," in honor of Princess Louise Henriette of Orange, the future wife of the Great Elector of Brandenburg. In gratitude to the King of Bavaria, who had given his consent to the Prussian Emperor William during the founding of the German Empire, the mine was subsequently renamed "King Ludwig." The word "luck" in connection with a mine presumably also conjured up the miners' "Glück Auf" (Good Luck).

  
Since 2022, the "Henriettenglück" art prize has been supported by the Cultural Foundation of Sparkasse Vest Recklinghausen.

  
**Topic in 2025:** In mining, a "cable ride" refers to the transport of people down a shaft in a cage suspended from a cable. "Cable rides" are not only used vertically downwards or upwards, but also as a crossing aid, for example, over a river to another landscape or up from the valley station to the mountain peak, making people's mountain dreams come true all year round. A cable ride down a mine shaft leads into the darkness – at the site of coal mining – but also back into the light again.

  
Rope travel thus leads to a place of fulfillment, a place of hope, or even a place of longing. The participating artists are expected to explore the various aspects of "rope travel" and can interpret the theme of rope travel through painting, photography, media art, sculpture, object art, or installation.

The art prize is endowed with €1,000\. In addition to the prize money, the winner receives a solo exhibition and a catalog for the following year's exhibition. A maximum of three artistic works can be submitted for the "Seilfahrt" project. 

Henriettenglück Art Prize

Spring is here! Flowers are blooming and bees buzzing, bringing a refreshing sense of renewal. Let's celebrate the beauty and energy of this vibrant season!

​

The theme of the competition is Regeneration. Submit your work for the chance at a $100 cash prize and see your art in our online virtual gallery. Show us your best paintings, photos, digital works, and other 2D images.

$100 cash prize for winning entry paid via PayPal.

"Regeneration" Spring Art Competition

The Agility Award is an Arts Council funding scheme for individual professional artists and arts practitioners who have not been previously funded as an individual by the Arts Council. You can apply for the Agility Award if you want to: 

  
• Develop your practice 

• Develop your work 

• Develop your skills. 

**You can apply for any amount between €1,500 and €5,000.** _You can’t apply for any amounts below €1,500 or above €5,000\. If you do, your application will be ineligible, and we won’t assess it._ 

Agility Award

The Macmillan Prize for Illustration is awarded for an unpublished children’s picture book. Submissions are open for 2025!

  
Established in 1985, this prize is open to non-professional illustrators and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The aim of the award is to stimulate new creative work that helps students to take the first steps in their professional careers. This coveted award has discovered many award-winning and bestselling talents, including Emily Gravett, Lucy Cousins, Ross Collins, Bethan Woollvin and Morag Hood. 

  
The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges comprising individuals from Macmillan as well as independent guest judges. 

a) The prizes for the winners of the Competition consist of:

  
* First Prize: £1,000
* Second Prize: £500
* Third Prize: £250

  
b) The prize-winners, plus the highly commended entrants, will be invited to a reception where the winners’ and highly commended entrants’ work will be exhibited. We intend to hold the reception in London in the summer.

Macmillan Prize for Illustration

The goal of this open call is to give participants the opportunity to see their work exhibited at a renowned international photo festival and, consequently, promote their visibility.

  
For the 35th edition of the Encontros da Imagem festival, the organisation intends to present different proposals for contemporary photography, highlighting the diversity and richness of the different approaches, from documentary projects to those that want to explore the limits of photographic construction.

  
Encontros da Imagem returns between 18th of September and 2nd of November, with exhibitions in various cities in the north of Portugal, with the aim of cultivating visual literacy and contributing to the democratisation of photography in its enjoyment and creation.

**What winners receive**

* The finalists will have their work produced and exhibited at the 2025 edition of the festival;
* The finalists will have their work published in the catalog of the 2025 edition;
* The winner of the Encontros da Imagem Award 2025 will be awarded with 1000€ (one thousand euros)

Encontros da Imagem Award 2025

**Cleveland Arts Prize promotes creativity in Northeast Ohio by honoring artists for artistic excellence and recognizes community** **leaders who help regional arts flourish.** Cleveland Arts Prize (CAP) was established by the Women’s City Club in 1960, and continues today as the nation’s oldest municipal arts award and an ongoing platform for celebrating Northeast Ohio’s exceptional arts community. In its earliest years, the group commissioned the Arts Prize medal, launched a scholarship program and established an endowment that secured the annual awarding of prizes.

  
**Discipline Prize Criteria:**

A body of original work that consistently exemplifies the highest level of artistic excellence as shown by but not limited to:

* Mastery of traditional skill and willingness to challenge status quo
* Awareness and/or acknowledgment of contemporary and/or changing schools of thought respective to discipline
* High level of continuity between artist statement and work
* Regional, national and/or international recognition\*
* Contributions to the canon of knowledge that will endure beyond the artist's life\*

\*These criteria will be assessed relative to career level.

Applicants will be placed into career levels based on the following requirements:

**Emerging Artist Award:** Candidate is currently living in Northeast Ohio and has created significant work or projects and shows remarkable promise for further development of their artistic careers.

**Mid-Career Artist Award:** Candidate is currently residing or has previously resided in Northeast Ohio and whose work has received both regional and national recognition.

**Lifetime Achievement Award:** Candidate who has worked or has been influential in the Northeast Ohio region over a period of decades and whose artistic achievements have brought distinction to the artist individually and to our region as a whole. 

Discipline Prize winners receive an unrestricted prize of $10,000 each. Special Prize recipients are honorary. 

  

Cleveland Arts Prize

**Artists** are an integral part of Berlin. Whether you are born and raised here, or now call this city your home, your unique perspective and creative input are what make this place one of the most exciting cities IN THE WORLD! But hey, we’re not biased 😉

  
As a Berlin-based gallery, BBA has developed the Made in Berlin Art Award to champion our local community. There are no restrictions on the medium or theme of your art, we are simply looking for Berlin-based creatives to be a part of our anniversary exhibition at Kühlhaus Berlin. 

  
Submit 1 work to be considered for the shortlist!

BBA Made in Berlin Art Award

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